Mutant Versus Vampire
by The Scratch Man
Summary: Even vampires can't resist Gambit. SLASH. Janus/Remy. AU for Curse of the Mutants arc.


**Disclaimer: Damn the Man.**

**A/N: I recently read X-Men Mutants Vs. Vampires in the 'Curse of the Mutants' arc. It gave me lots of ideas...I took a certain scene and twisted some things to make this fic work for me. It's an AU.**

**Warning: Extreme comic-quoting. The stuff I made up is the interactions between Remy and Janus (the scenes where Storm is not present.)… Obviously**

Remy decides that he doesn't like the man even before he says (all arrogantly), "X-Men. Welcome to Vampire Island… You'll need my help if you're going to survive the experience."

Remy doesn't like accepting help from anyone, but he knows that what the vampire says is true. Even so, the next words the vampire speaks makes the little benefit of doubt in Remy's head fly away: "I am Janus. First son of Dracula."

The Cajun doesn't say much as Storm and Janus exchange words. Ororo doesn't listen to him as he whispers that he doesn't think this is a good idea. Instead, she addresses Janus, "Very well. We accept your help."

And that is the end of it.

Janus leads them down the rest of the tunnels and finally into a large chamber –an underground temple. Remy is uncomfortable; he can feel Janus's eyes on him.

Ororo questions Janus about their surroundings, but he continues to stare at Remy as he answers.

Finally, Remy says, "Quit staring at me," He steps right up into Janus's personal space and glares at the vampire with his red-on-black devil eyes.

Janus tilts his head, "I am sorry. This is all new to me… I am pureblood."

Remy snorts internally, "I got no idea what that means." He snaps.

Janus shrugs, "It means I was born a vampire. So I spent no time as a human. My only real interaction with people like you –non-vampires"

Remy shifts closer and leans over Janus, "-Has been as prey," he growls.

Janus blinks and shifts slightly in unease. Their noses are almost touching. The eldest son of Dracula steps back and snaps, "I can control my urges. You needn't worry about me."

The next moment, Janus's eyes widen and he grabs Remy's Bo-staff, yanking Remy to the side, "Look out!"

"What?"

Suddenly, a group of vampires are attacking.

Remy, Janus, and Ororo fight them off, but then the ground underneath Storm crumbles and she falls down into the hole it makes with all the other vampires.

Both Janus and Remy rush over to the ledge, "STORM!" Remy shouts in a panic. All he can see is a dark abyss.

Janus g rabs Remy's arm as the Cajun begins to climb down, "She's alive," he says, "Come, we must find my father's body," he tugs Remy down a hall, "Storm will continue on down there."

Remy wants to protest, but he doesn't. He just follows Janus down the stone tunnels.

After a while, Janus announces, "Storm has found the source of the shield. She will bring it down and then you may summon the rest of the X-Men."

Janus begins to pick up his pace and Remy has to jog to keep up.

As they turn the corner, Janus breaks into a run until he reaches the end of the hall way. He and Remy push open one of the doors and Janus says, "There he is."

Remy watches as Janus hurries over to the headless body and fights back the urge and make a face. Who knows how long that body has been lying there on the stone table.

"Father," Janus murmurs.

"We should have gone after Storm." Remy speaks up.

"This is what she wanted."

Remy scowls, "That's what _you_ told me she said. For all I know…"

Janus looks up and raises an eyebrow, "What? That this is a trap?"

Remy crosses his arm.

"Remy LeBeau," Janus says, standing up and striding across the room to where he is standing, "I am prince of the vampire nation. If I wanted you dead, you would already be dead."

The X-Man continues to glare at Janus.

"Quit staring at me," Janus says, imitating Remy perfectly.

"There's a difference between glaring and staring." Remy replies.

"Staring implies somewhat of an infatuation." Janus nods,

"Which is why I ain't staring,"

"I am a telepath. You were staring."

"I don't stare at vampires," Remy retorts, brushing past Janus and kneeling down next to Dracula's headless body, "Now are we gon' take him or what?"

Janus joins Remy beside the body and begins to pick it up when a voice behind them says, "Prince Janus. You honor us with your presence."

They both whip around to see the room full of vampires. A woman dress in red and even less than Emma Frost stands in front of them. "And how gracious. You brought dinner." She says, smiling nastily.

Remy feels his blood boil; he does _not_ appreciate being called 'dinner'. Janus is the first to spring at the vampires, though. He launches himself at as many as possible, ripping them to pieces. Remy pauses to admire the man's technique before joining the fight as well.

The vampires do not have any training. They fight with weapons and brute strength, so even though there are only two of them, Remy and Janus are able to hold them off.

Remy pulls his staff out of one of the blue-skinned vampires he was fighting and he hears Janus yell from nearby, "Gambit! Look out!"

He turns just as the woman in red grabs him, "Enough," she hisses before lifting him off his feet and throwing him across the room. He crashes through the wall and hits a stone statue outside. Then Remy falls limply to the ground.

Janus watches as Remy disappears from view and he doesn't notice the vampire sneaking up on him until they are dog-piling on top of him.

His face is pressed against the grimy stone floor and he can't concentrate. He loses his telepathic connection with Ororo.

More vampires are piling on, getting ready to rip him to pieces when the ground begins to rumble. There's a burst of light everywhere and the vampires around Janus disintegrate without their light-bending necklaces.

He scrambles to his feet and runs through the hole in the wall to where Remy disappeared.

"Gambit! Gambit?" He looks around frantically until he sees the Cajun climbing up out of the rubble.

"That was one… helluvan explosion…" Remy pants.

"Ah, you're alive." Janus says. He's a little surprised by the relief he feels.

"Yeah, disappointed?" Remy snorts.

"I am sure that Storm would hunt me down and kill me if I let anything happen to her friend." Janus replies breezily.

"Uh-huh, yeah, mebbe," Remy groans and rubs his head, "Did da lady get away?"

"Yes, I believe so," Janus says.

"I owe her one," Remy says darkly. He goes back to the other room and grabs Dracula's body, hoisting it over his shoulder. He starts down the hall, "Da X-Men should be here soon. You coming?"

"Actually, no." Janus says.

Remy pauses and turns around to find Janus standing right behind him, "Yeah?"

"I have some things to take care of, so I will be going now."

"'Kay," Remy says, shifting Dracula's body on his shoulder, "Can't say it was a pleasure meeting you."

"If you bring my father back, maybe you'll have to see me again." Janus says.

"Hopin' it won't be because you're trying to kill any of my friends." Remy says.

Janus tilts his head and red eyes pierced red-on-black, "Neither do I,"

Before Remy knows what's happening, Janus leans in and places his mouth over the X-Man's.

It's short but deep and then Janus is stepping back and saying, "I wish you and the X-Men the best of luck." Then he turns around and walks down the hall in the opposite direction. After a moment, he disappears into the darkness.

Stunned for a moment, Remy quickly gets over it and continues on. He discovers the scene of a battle at the end of the hall. The other X-Men are already there.

He watches as Northstar zooms around, snatching away all of the vampires' necklaces, "Hey Alison. Eat your heart out."

Dazzler grins and lights up the whole chamber. Vampires turn to ashes all around and Northstar laughs, "Go Team Jacob,"

With all of the vampires gone, it's time to leave.

Remy hands off Dracula's body to Colossus and then watches as Magik opens a portal for everyone.

He turns to see Ororo approaching and he smiles, "Storm! Dere you are. I was beginning' to tink you left with Janus."

She crosses her arms, "He's gone?"

Remy hesitates. Damn it, why the hell did he bring Janus up? "Made sure you were okay and then just vanished." He lies easily. He doesn't mention the kiss for obvious reasons.

It doesn't matter.

As they walk through Illyana's portal, Remy can't help but truly hope that if he ever sees Janus again, they won't be on opposing sides.

He knows that it's very unlikely, though.

**A/N: Wow… I feel accomplished. Jean-Paul really did say 'Go Team Jacob' in the comic, and I just HAD to add that. So, what did you think? Nice AU or what? Please review! …I have to go write for my other fan fic now ('Hold Me Tight' desperately needs an update.)**


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